UT Contributors To Park At White Ave. Garage Saturday

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The University of Tennessee Conference Center Parking Garage on Henley Street is closed for Saturday’s UT-Vanderbilt football game, officials said Wednesday.

Dr. Steve Richards, UT football traffic committee chairman, said the garage is closed through Nov. 27 for construction and electrical work.

Richards said UT contributors who normally park in the Henley Street garage have been notified of the closure. Those fans may park instead at the new, 866-space, five-level UT parking garage on White Avenue, he said.

The Conference Center Parking Garage also is closed to visitors to The Fantasy of Trees, a series of downtown holiday activities this week, Richards said. Officials earlier had announced mistakenly that the Conference Center Garage would be available for the event.

Because Saturday’s UT-Vanderbilt football game is the last regular-season contest for both teams, this should be the last time motorists will have to endure traffic changes from the current UT campus construction, Richards said.

Richards said officials expect smoother traffic flow next year when work to add 10,000 seats to Neyland Stadium and 850 parking spaces nearby is finished.

“There have been a number of inconveniences to fans this past year due to the construction of the new garage on Neyland Drive and the stadium expansion,” Richards said.

“We want to thank the public for their understanding and patience with the situation.”

Richards encouraged fans to come to the game early, park at the UT agriculture campus or the civic coliseum and use the city shuttle service to ride to the stadium.